Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
They announced the most ambitious city ever built cutting through the Saudi desert. The world called it the future. Here's why the people who designed it knew from the beginning it was never going to work.
If you enjoyed this video, subscribe to MapPack so you don’t miss future videos like this one. I post weekly geography deep dives that reveal how geography, nature, power, borders, and history shape the world we live in.
Want to learn more? Check out these playlists for similar content:
📌 50 Facts Series: Truths You Won’t Believe - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBlbxf88UDgxfKl8GYfPInj0
📌 United States of America: Hidden Truths & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBm3kf2sZ3KtMhc5nEFG30oC
📌 INSANE Facts!!! - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBmhl-VA4Qu5Ddvzm5M2ecyV
📌 Military & Wars: Facts, History, Mysteries and Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBntro8rFimAf0ygMSKBvO4N
📌 Deadly Disasters & Mysterious Cases - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBkFZDJe1andaAfxWwcajZbj
📌 Asia: Less Known Facts, History & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBnTkTAFhKtDbFdwCPXzHVu0
📌 Europe: Surprising Facts, Hidden Truths & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBlW7CxNThoPE20G0DJVt0aV
📌 Russia: Less Known Facts, Hidden Truths & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBl2_ck00Dck9iLSkftl4Ldu
Attributions: pastebin.com/YsTCmWR6
___________________________________________________________________________________
Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
0:09 – Mirrored Skyscrapers Stretching Across Sand
0:22 – The Most Expensive Illusion Of The Century
0:36 – Ambition Versus A Fighting Desert
0:43 – CHICAGO Density In Manhattan Space
1:01 – Robotic Construction And AI Dreams
1:27 – Fighting Constant Wind And Heat
1:54 – Electricity Demands Of A Straight Shape
2:35 – Technology That Has Not Been Invented
2:52 – Dirt Moved Thousands Of Times Over
3:22 – Doubling Time On Unstable Sand
4:09 – Desalination Backfires And Salt Runoff
4:46 – Problematic Wildlife Bridges In Migration Routes
4:58 – Desert Ski Resorts Draining Nearby Life
5:27 – The Severe Human Cost Of Land Clearing
5:53 – Disputed Worker Deaths Across Major Projects
6:23 – Cost Estimates Soaring To Trillions
6:55 – Drying Up Funding From Falling Oil Prices
7:24 – Broader Economic Crises And Debt
8:08 – Budget Slashes Masking The Challenges
8:37 – Vague Words To Hide The Truth
9:13 – Shocking Speed Of The Collapse
9:37 – Technological Ambitions Under Scrutiny
10:02 – Unpaid Wages And Vanishing Dreams
10:42 – Specialized Cleaning Costs Of Sand
11:04 – Barren Lots Replacing Vertical Gardens
11:27 – Harsh Lessons In Chain Dependencies
They announced the most ambitious city ever built cutting through the Saudi desert. The world called it the future. Here's why the people who designed it knew from the beginning it was never going to work.
If you enjoyed this video, subscribe to MapPack so you don’t miss future videos like this one. I post weekly geography deep dives that reveal how geography, nature, power, borders, and history shape the world we live in.
Want to learn more? Check out these playlists for similar content:
📌 50 Facts Series: Truths You Won’t Believe - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBlbxf88UDgxfKl8GYfPInj0
📌 United States of America: Hidden Truths & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBm3kf2sZ3KtMhc5nEFG30oC
📌 INSANE Facts!!! - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBmhl-VA4Qu5Ddvzm5M2ecyV
📌 Military & Wars: Facts, History, Mysteries and Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBntro8rFimAf0ygMSKBvO4N
📌 Deadly Disasters & Mysterious Cases - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBkFZDJe1andaAfxWwcajZbj
📌 Asia: Less Known Facts, History & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBnTkTAFhKtDbFdwCPXzHVu0
📌 Europe: Surprising Facts, Hidden Truths & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBlW7CxNThoPE20G0DJVt0aV
📌 Russia: Less Known Facts, Hidden Truths & Geography - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxBZ8ukPsNBl2_ck00Dck9iLSkftl4Ldu
Attributions: pastebin.com/YsTCmWR6
___________________________________________________________________________________
Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
0:09 – Mirrored Skyscrapers Stretching Across Sand
0:22 – The Most Expensive Illusion Of The Century
0:36 – Ambition Versus A Fighting Desert
0:43 – CHICAGO Density In Manhattan Space
1:01 – Robotic Construction And AI Dreams
1:27 – Fighting Constant Wind And Heat
1:54 – Electricity Demands Of A Straight Shape
2:35 – Technology That Has Not Been Invented
2:52 – Dirt Moved Thousands Of Times Over
3:22 – Doubling Time On Unstable Sand
4:09 – Desalination Backfires And Salt Runoff
4:46 – Problematic Wildlife Bridges In Migration Routes
4:58 – Desert Ski Resorts Draining Nearby Life
5:27 – The Severe Human Cost Of Land Clearing
5:53 – Disputed Worker Deaths Across Major Projects
6:23 – Cost Estimates Soaring To Trillions
6:55 – Drying Up Funding From Falling Oil Prices
7:24 – Broader Economic Crises And Debt
8:08 – Budget Slashes Masking The Challenges
8:37 – Vague Words To Hide The Truth
9:13 – Shocking Speed Of The Collapse
9:37 – Technological Ambitions Under Scrutiny
10:02 – Unpaid Wages And Vanishing Dreams
10:42 – Specialized Cleaning Costs Of Sand
11:04 – Barren Lots Replacing Vertical Gardens
11:27 – Harsh Lessons In Chain Dependencies
